OBSERVATIONS ON THE MUSCULUS STERNALIS IN CHINESE / 解剖学报

ABSTRACT

Among 200 cadavers (82 adults, 55 children and 63 newborn) 26 cases of the musculus sternalis (8 adults, 6 children and 12 newborn) were noted, of which 13 appeared on one side (4 left, 9 right) and the rest on both sides of the sternum. The percentage was higher in children (10.9%) as com- pared with adult (9.7%) and still higher in the newborn (19%). The aver- age finding was 13%, which was higher than that in Europeans and about the sams as found in Japanese. The nerve supply to this muscle was from the anterior thoracic in 13 cases and from the intercostal in two. This tallied with the findings of the other authors. In the majority of cases this muscle ran parallel to the sternum with the exception of two which crossed the sternum. The ratio between the size of the muscle and that of the chest was found greater in the newborn than either in adults or in children. Besides, from 5 anencephalic foetus 3 cases of the musculus sternalis were found, an incidence of 60%. The muscle found in these cases was in- nervated largely by the anterior thoracic nerve, except the left side of one case in which the nerve supply could not be traced. It appeared that the musculus sternalis occasionally found in man was probably the remnant of the panniculus carnosus.